老娘要做工了

To my Friends and Family -

I'm starting work on 15 June at ConocoPhillips as a Regional Marketing Communications Executive/Assistant (TBC). FYI, it's a petroleum company... given I have only come across 2 people who have heard of the company (being a xq and uncle Rexton).

I am in the specialty products department... taking care of all things to do with lubricants for AUTOMOTIVE (distinction made specially for ah Ron...). Yeah... so anything to do with motor vehicles, trains, aviation, mining & construction machinery... I do marcoms for the lubricants serving these areas.

It's 80-90% of what I am familiar with at Michelin... the difference being (a) no travelling involved unlike Michelin and (b) I am gonna be a web content manager! There isn't a Asian website up and running yet. The only website existing is the parent one from US. But yours truly will be in charge of the Asian/Regional website... content wise only though. Webmaster will do all the programming etc... heh heh heh...

I was narrowly looking out for Automobile industry jobs... and it's taken me more than a year. I seriously don't think anyone is aware of how broke I exactly am. Before I joined Michelin, I was down to having only $75 in my bank. Before I start at ConocoPhillips this time round, I am not better off, let me tell you this much.

But 14.5months later, 10 thousand bucks poorer, and a further 531 mails (I am not joking. I bcc all my online job applications to myself) in my 'Job Applications' folder in yahoo attesting to my very long job search... not including the many snail mails sent in... I am glad my wait and belief paid off.

500-600 applications. Considering I get interviews with about 1/3 of the time... I have been to about... 200 interviews maybe? With each ranging from meeting 1 person (although usually minimum 2 persons) to 5 different people within a company... I have met at least 500 people through interviews in my past 14.5 months. And interviewing is expensive... there are really more costs involved than what any layman in the streets think.

If anyone thinks I have no patience... if anyone thinks I am a pushover... if anyone thinks I am weak... if anyone thinks that I have been spoilt, having a good life...

Blardy Hell, think again.

I have found exactly (well... maybe just 80-90%) of what I have been looking for, and more.

And it is not luck. I DID put whatever I had on the line.

And I had to be sustained by that self belief and silent, non-obviou,s internal confidence... confidence in believing that I can get what I want, and it is not too late to always give it one more try.

Stop being so cynical out there.